Holiday houses, villas, apartment, hotels and more

The province of Grosseto

Grosseto is located in the very south of Tuscany. It is one of the largest provinces in the region. Although the territory is huge, it is the most sparsely populated area in Italy. The density of population is only 25 people per square kilometer.

The landscape of Grosseto represents all the variety of the Mediterranean. The coast is a range of beaches, lagoons and bays, hills and cliffs, resorts and fishing villages. Punta Ala, Follonica, Castiglione della Pescaia are among famousresorts. Although only a part of the province is claimed to protect wildlife, local people and tourists treat all the surrounding beauty with respect. As a result, ecologists have awarded the beaches of Follonica and Castiglione della Pescaia with the Blue Flags.

Mountain areas in the west are mostly covered with chestnut and Italian pine forests. Monte Amiata is remarkable for its height and volcanic origin. It is the highest point of Tuscany reaching 1738 meters above the sea level. Ski mountaineering has been rapidly developing here recently. Ancient towns are located on the slopes of the mountain cautiously keeping the historical sites. Monte Amiata is also the place of mineral water springs.

You can taste healing waters in other areas of Grosseto as well. Bagni di Roselle is the spring to the north-east, located close to the ruins of an Etruscan city. The water is saturated with common (sodium chloride) and Glauber's (sodium sulphate) salt. That is why it has a bitter taste. The spring of Saturnia is of great help to people suffering from rheumatism, skin and respiratory diseases.

Grosseto attracts lovers of ancient times. The Etruscans used to livehere long ago, then they lost their ethnic uniqueness and assimilated with Roman invaders. The province has kept many archaeological monuments which reflect the change of cultures and epochs. Here you can visit the Etruscan grave-mounds, the ruins of Roman buildings, Roman and Gothic castles, numerous cathedrals and churches. The memory of the past has been also kept in the local museums. The Archaeological Museum of Maremma has one of the richest collections in Tuscany.

Massa Marittima is an excellent example of Middle Age town-museum. A lot of impressive constructions of the XII -XIV centuries have been retained in this town. Massa Marittima was founded by the Etruscans and gained its prosperity in the XI century.

The coast of Punta Ala is considered to be one of the best swimming areas in the whole Tuscany. The place is also great for doing water sports. A sailing school is located in the town, as well as a prestigious yacht-club. The largest yacht harbor in Tuscany is located in Punta Ala. And no surprise, sailing regattas are arranged here.

Orbetello is a town with a population of about fifteen thousand people. It got its name after the lagoon of Orbetello. The town has a very unusual location. It is situated on the neck which connects the cape of the Argentario with the continental part of Tuscany.

The festival of the thrush or Sagra del Tordo is held in the old Tuscan town of Montalcino on the last October weekend. Thousands of tourists go to Montalcino while the festival. If you want to see the festival of the thrush, you should take care of accommodation in Montalcino in advance. Itâ€™s better to come a bit earlier for the festival. On the day of the competition, you will have to leave your car far away in the valley and walk a couple of kilometers up. Donâ€™t forget to ask your landlords to help you buy tickets for the ceremonial dinner and the tournament.

Towns and villages of Tuscany hold various gastronomic festivals regularly from May to October. These events are dedicated to some product or dish typical for this area. Usually such festivals are organized on days-off. Sometimes they last for a couple of weekends. Fairs are often combined with diverse entertainment program. The October of 2011 offers a number of gastronomic events in Tuscany.

The Tarot garden as a work of art is a combination of landscape design, sculpture and architecture. The garden is located on the southern slope of the Garavicchio hill in the Tuscan Maremma, a few kilometers away from the town of Capalbio. The Franko-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle created it.